Atomic Structure Flashcards
The foundation of chemical research is based on?
Experiments and Explanations
What is an experiment ?
An experiment is an observation of natural phenomena carried out in a controlled manner so the results can be duplicated and rational conclusions obtained
What is a hypothesis?
A hypothesis is a tentative explanation of some regularity of nature
What is a theory
A theory is a tested explanation of basic natural phenomena
What does it take for a theory to be commonly accepted in society?
Good fit between the evidence and theoretical constructs
Reliability and Accuracy of data
Replicability of experiments including by other researchers
Consensus within the scientific community
What is a law?
A law is a concise statement or mathematical equation about a fundamental relationship or regularity of nature
What is the general process of advancing scientific knowledge through observation, the framing of laws, hypotheses or theories; and the conduction of more experiments called?
The Scientific Method
In what year did Dalton come out with his theory about the atom?
1807
What did Dalton’s theory entail
He conceptualized that all matter was made of atoms that are different for different elements and atoms were hard spheres.
What are the Assumptions/ postulates of Dalton’s atomic theory?
Matter consist of tiny particles called atoms which are indestructible and indivisible
All atoms of the same element are identical in mass and chemical properties. They differ from the atoms of other elements
Atoms can combine in simple whole number ratios to form compounds
A chemical reaction consists of rearranging atomsfrom one
combination into another. Atoms are not created, destroyed, or
broken into smaller pieces by any chemical reaction
What are some evidence for Dalton’s Model
The previously theorised law of conservation of mass: “the total mass remains constant during a chemical reaction” was supported by Dalton’s atomic theory
The previously theorised law of definite proportions (or constant composition): “a pure compound, whatever its source, always contains definite or constant proportions of the elements by mass
Dalton’s atomic theory predicted the law of multiple proportions: “when two elements form more than one compound, the masses of one element in these compounds for a fixed mass of the other element are in ratios of small whole
What are some Inaccuracies/Problems with Dalton’s Model
Atoms were later found to consist of further particles
Atoms can be destroyed by nuclear reactions
Atoms of the same element can have different masses example being isotopes
What year did J.J. Thompson come out with his theory
1897
What did J.J Thomson’s theory entail
J. J. Thomson conducted experiments that suggested that
atoms were not indivisible hard spheres but in fact were
comprised of smaller charged subatomic particles
What experiment did J.J Thomson carry out
Discharging electricity through gases at low pressure
When electricity was discharged through gases at low
pressure, cathode rays were found to be deflected by electric
and magnetic fields in a manner than indicated the presence
of negatively charged components
What did Thompson discover in the atom
Electrons
What is meant by Thompson’s Plum pudding model?
the atom has negatively charged electrons embedded in a sea of
positive charge
What are the problems/inaccuracies with Thompson’s Model
This model could not explain the deflection of alpha particles by metal foil
What year did Rutherford come with his theory
1909
What does Rutherford’s theory entail?
the atom must consist of
* mainly empty space with
* mass & positive charge concentrated (>99.5%) in tiny central nucleus
* while negatively charged electrons orbit the nucleus (like planets orbiting the sun)
What was Rutherford’s Experiment
Ernest Rutherford directed Geiger and Marsden to bombard
thin metal foils (e.g. gold) with alpha particles. Alpha particles
are positively charged.
– Most of the alpha particles passed through with no interaction
– However, a few ~ 1 in 8000 were scattered at large angles; some
were sent backwards towards the source
What is meant by Rutherfords planetary model
negatively charged electrons orbiting a positively charged nucleus
What are the Inaccuracies/Problems with Rutherford’s Model
If electrons are negatively charged, and the nucleus is positively charged, why don’t the electrons spiral into the nucleus?
Could not explain atomic and emission spectra, i.e. why do
atoms absorb or emit light of certain frequencies?